‘Home Essentials Hub’ will provide essentials for people moving on from homelessness in Leicester
The Home Essentials Hub has been launched in Leicester to help those who are moving into their own home after a period of homelessness, providing people with everything they need to set up a home including white goods, furniture and flooring. This is an exciting new partnership initiative led by local Leicester charities Open Hands, Action Homeless and One Roof Leicester. It is supported by Leicester’s Homelessness Charter and funded by Leicester City Council and the National Lottery Awards for All. The Home Essentials Hub was designed based on the insight of people with lived experience of homelessness and frontline support workers who recognised the importance of offering a home which is ready to live in rather than an empty property.
Local charities refer clients to The Home Essentials Hub as they make the transition from temporary accommodation to a permanent home. Over the next 6 months, 50 people will benefit from the new initiative, and the project has secured funding to continue for a 12-month pilot period.
‘I’m very very happy. I’ve got everything I need including a fridge freezer and a washing machine.’ (First client to be referred to the project)
Action Homeless and One Roof Leicester, local charities providing temporary accommodation and support to people experiencing homelessness, refer people to The Home Essentials Hub as part of their preparations for resettlement. Open Hands, a local charity experienced at providing practical support to individuals experiencing poverty, homelessness and unemployment, then handle the logistics of sourcing and delivering the items that beneficiaries need.
“Leaving temporary accommodation and setting up a home independently can be a daunting process, especially if you don’t have the basics. We wanted to make this first step out of homelessness smooth and stress-free and give people the best possible start in their new home. We hope this project will make a really positive difference to the people we support” (Eilidh Stringer, Funding and Communications Manager, Action Homeless)
The Home Essentials Hub relies on a combination of funding and public donations. The charities involved are urging the local community to donate pre-loved furniture and household goods to the project.
“We’re asking members of the public who have good quality furniture or household items that they no longer need to save them from landfill and give them a new home with our project. We can complete minor upgrades and all necessary testing to make sure they are fit for purpose.” (Matt Tomlin, Furniture Service Manager, Open Hands)
For more information or to make a donation to the project please visit Open Hands – Home Essentials Hub
